


Ties and Barricades

by yersifanel



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Kidnapping, M/M, Misunderstandings, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-04
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-10-28 02:35:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10821957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yersifanel/pseuds/yersifanel
Summary: When Leonard improvised their escape from a crime scene, he expected to leave with their loot and a temporary hostage that would allowed them to not be follow by the police. But because life loves to mess with him, he ended up kidnapping his own unexpected soul mate who apparently doesn't like him very much because, grant it, kidnap is not the best way to meet your destined One.





	1. Chapter 1

There was a priceless, or more adequately label, a very pricy diamond sitting in a max security safe in a jewelry store in the main street of Central City. It was called the Frozen Star, and Leonard Snart wanted it, so he planned a job to get it.

It was all about timing, things tend to take a certain amount of seconds to get done, from entering a venue to the cops reaching the said venue when the silent system kicks in. Leonard was well aware about those details, he thoughtfully planned the heist, letting the sidekicks rob the jewelry store while Mick and he went for something bigger in the back, hiding from the police until there was no one around.

But of course, just when he managed to disarm the second safe and take the contents, a scrawny kid walks in, big eyes and a frown on his face, confused by the two thieves still in the place he was going to case, for the looks of the equipment he had on him, he was a CSI.

"What in the hell?" the kid ran when Mick pointed his gun up, Leonard could see the radio on his hand and soon there were cops everywhere again, exchanging a few shots and words, this quickly went out of control.

His brain quickly selected options, discarded the inadequate ones and narrowed the scope of those that might actually work, all this in less than a minute, there was not a second to waste. He selected the most convenient plan and inhaled, getting his gun ready, locating the closest person that might give him leverage, and finally crossing a knowing look with Mick, they were getting out of there no matter what after all, this job was not a complete failure yet, not if Leonard could help it.

"Cover me," Len moved his head to the left, Mick nodded and shoot to the ceiling, fixing the cops attention on him for a moment long enough for Leonard to move.

Leonard ran, his gun ready and extended his hand to take the CSI by the back of his neck, knowing he wasn't armed. The younger man chocked a scream as Leonard forced him to his feet, Leonard himself was panting, his fingers digging so hard into the skin of the kid's neck without him noticing what he was doing. Leonard forced himself to not let go even after the pure shock running across his body, from his palm to every fiber of his being. He pressed the muzzle of the gun against the kid's head to hide the shaking of his hands, the kid was struggling, and shaking like a leaf. Leonard held him against his chest harder than necessary.

He couldn't talk, his mouth opened but nothing came out, he couldn't even heard the shouts of the officers telling him to let the CSI go, all he could heard was his own voice fiercely whispering _no, don't let him go, don’t let go._

It was Mick who finally fired again, directly to the fire sprinklers and making it arterially rain inside the budging, his partner who pushed him to move and dragged the shocked CSI with them as their hostage on turn. Leonard followed Mick, his hand clasped around the younger man's wrist with an iron force, his mind a storm along the rest of his self, he almost couldn't breathe.

His movements ere mechanic, more instinct then anything else. They reached the vehicle and Mick pushed the CSI against it, producing some handcuffs from his back pocket and cuffing the kid's hands behind his back.

"No, w-wait, stop—!"

Mick was already shoving the kid to the back seat when he noticed Leonard was still holding onto him, so he ended shoving them both to the back of the car and running around to get on the driver's seat himself to get them away from the scene.

"Goddamn it!" Mick hit the steering wheel as he drove, shouting as he ran passed stops and red lights, concealing them into the night even with all his cursing, shouting and general grunting.

Leonard felt underwater still, his hands holding too thigh on the younger man. Leonard noted he was shaking, his breath coming in shorts gasps and he had his eyes firmly closed, his face pressed against the backseat's old leather. Leonard moved his hand to touch his face, but he felt as if someone else was driving his movements, he stopped too close, his eyes noting the bright, fresh and almost glowing mark on the back of the younger man's neck, down his shirt, he felt his stomach flip. Leonard turned his own palm to see what he already knew would find; a bright, fresh and almost glowing mark that went from his palm to under his sleeve.

A soul mark.

"Oh."

The kid under him – his _soul mate_ , for fuck's sake – opened his blurry eyes to glare at him, there was some heat behind it, but Leonard could _feel_ it was more over the fact of being kidnapped and manhandle than the union and holy _shit_ … he was feeling his _emotions_ , the union allowed the bleed to be stronger in the first stage of encounter, and it was both ways.

"Could you move?" he asked, his voice tired and there was a hint of sadness there, Leonard scrambled away as much as he could immediately, "Thank you."

The kid pushed himself up the best he could, with his hands cuffed behind his back and all that, pressing himself against the door of the car, his eyes casted down, he was so tense he looked like he could snap like a twig in any moment, and…. _scared_ , he was scared, and Leonard had no idea what to do but stare.

"I'm Mick, the idiot staring at you is Leonard," his partner glared at him over the rear view mirror.

"I know who you are," he brunet mumbled and Leonard was still staring, probably not his best or more gracious move, but the last fifteen minutes have seriously screw with his head.

"You got a name kid?" Mick asked, ignoring the tension suffocating the car because Mick didn’t do well with tension, so he tended to swipe it away immediately or ignore it.

The young man lifted his head, looking at the rear view mirror and then and Leonard, chewing his lower lip for a moment, casting his eyes to the dark road when he spoke again.

"Barry."

Leonard's palm itched, he was restless and still staring at Barry, who would glance every once in a while to look at him but was yet to say anything more than his previous request for Leonard to stop crushing him against the backseat. Still, the bleed was more than enough; Leonard could feel his nervousness with taints of fear, some annoyance, but he also could feel an overwhelming sadness. Leonard wanted to make it go away, yet he had this nagging feeling he was the cause of it, not unfounded consider everything that just happened.

"Where are you taking me?" Barry asked after some minutes of silence. There were in a dark road now, Mick probably drinking them out of town, probably to safe house #3, not the original plan but the best contingency.

Because they just _kidnapped_ Leonard's _soul mate_ along with a priceless blue diamond that Leonard had not even look at because he was way too busy staring at his soul mate. He was not supposed to have a soul mate, he was way pass the age of waiting for one, why was this happening now?

Also, his soul mate was a badge; a young – early twenties perhaps? – Nerd-looking CSI, who was _sad_ about being there with him, and Leonard had no idea what to do about it. Still, the mere idea of not being close to him left a bad taste in his mouth, and that complicated things even more for his already confused self.

"Somewhere safe," Leonard finally answered and he probably should blindfold him or something, Mick seemed to be in the same page because he pulled a piece of cloth from the glove compartment and tossed it towards him. Leonard moved closer to Barry, blindfold in hand, the kid looked at him, then the dark cloth, the subsequent wave of _misery_ he felt through the bond almost made him choke.

He pulled the cloth around his head, mumbling an apology as he worked the knot, not too tight, and pulled Barry against him, making him lay down in the backseat again. It was another half an hour before they arrive and Leonard pulled Barry out of the car, Mick gave him a look and tossed Barry over his shoulder, earning a yelp from the younger man.

"Hold on, kid."

He walked towards the house as Leonard opened the door, instead of taking their young hostage to the basement, Mick went to the master bedroom and lay him on the bed, taking off the blindfold, opening one of the cuffs to close it around the bed post instead. Leonard stood by the foot of the bed the whole time, when Mick was done he walked past him, patting him on the back on his way to the door.

"This is so fucked up," he chuckled. "Only you, mate."

He closed the door, leaving them alone. Barry pushed himself against the headboard, once again looking at Leonard with those damn, big, green blurry eyes, the bond allowed Len to feel something aside from sadness this time, some curiosity layered with confusion, he wasn't sure if it was him or Barry feeling it.

The awkward silence extended and Leonard couldn’t take it anymore, he stroke towards Barry's side, trying to look at his neck and back, where the soul mark his touch ignited was.

"What are you doing?" Barry asked, but Leonard didn’t answer, instead moved around him to push his shirt up from behind, "N-NO! STOP THAT!"

The fear wave in the bond hit him like a truck, he removed his hands as if burned, and stayed still while Barry breathed heavily a few inches before him, shaking. Leonard cursed under his breath, just thinking how what he was doing looked like.

"I just want to see the mark," he explained, placing his hand flat over Barry's back, "That's all."

Barry glared at him over his shoulder and Leonard welcomed the irritation over the fear he had been previously echoing in their bond. Barry turned around, his free hand taking Leonard's marked one and turning it, palm up, to see the mark.

It ran from middle finger to his palm and extended over his sleeve, Len moved to take his jacket off and see the full thing, it almost reached the crook of his elbow and it was damn beautiful. A series of root like lines, interconnected.

"Lichtenberg…" mumbled Barry and chuckled, it was a nice sound, Len contemplated.

Len let him trace the mark for some time, before asking, "Can I see your mark?"

Barry lifted his eyes and after a long silence that almost made Leonard painfully unconformable, he moved to pull open his button down, his back to Len. The mark started at his neck, down his back and shoulder blades, symmetrical lines, spiked, united and forming patterns like frost over ice.

Barry looked at him over his shoulder, than at his back, "Is… is that frost?"

"Yeah, I have seen those on ice."

Barry pulled his shirt back, turning to stare at him with narrowed eyes, "You gave me _frozen fractals_ ," he hissed then laughed, as if Leonard understood the joke, "Oh God," he inhaled deeply, his breath coming in short gasps, "My soul mate is a criminal—" he was laughing but there was something weird in the bond, "—With a fascination with ice."

He giggled, but Len could see the tears in the corners of his eyes and the pang of sadness, suddenly he felt angry and disappointed, not only he was stuck with a soul mate he didn’t ask for, but one that didn't want him.

Great… Just great.


	2. Chapter 2

Barry is curled on his side, his right arm stretched out under him, his hand cuffed to the bed post. He's been blinking in and out of sleep for a while now, with Leonard sitting beside him, staring like a creep, which was fitting, because that was exactly how he felt at the moment.

They haven't talk much, after Barry's laugh died, so did whatever strength he had left. He pulled at the cuff a few times but didn't ask Leonard to release him, that should have been a warning, along with everything else, but Leonard was most likely in shock himself, therefor not observing properly. He saw Barry tensing again after blinking out of one of his short moments of sleep, he didn't turn or moved, just stayed there, his back to Leonard.

"What are you going to do with me?"

There's a feeling echoing in their bond, a pulsing wave of unhappiness that has been showing with Barry ever since their Union was ignited. Leonard doesn't understand what has caused this, for all accounts Barry should be profusely angry, maybe even afraid – which he has been – but this sadness? Leonard never felt so uncomfortable in his life about provoking a reaction.

"Snart?"

" _Len_ ," he corrected, because he might not be amused by the idea of having an unexpected soul mate but he also didn't want said soul mate to address him like a stranger, "Call me Len, kid."

He can't see Barry's face from this angle, but he can feel the uneasiness through their bond. Leonard bites the inside of his cheek to not sneer in frustration, making Barry curl even more into himself because of course, he can feel whatever Leonard is feeling too, but Leonard only took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking.

"How old are you?" he knew Barry's name, the fact that he was a CSI working for the CCPD and now he could add 'Soul Mate of Leonard Snart' to his list if he wanted, so far, he had made no indication of wanting such thing, that bother him more than it should.

"Twenty-three…" he mumbled. Leonard couldn't help it, silently his eyes widened as he stared at nothing.

Barry shudders and rolls over, sitting up to look at him with something very much like concern, he reaches for Leonard with a timid hand, pulling at the cuff binding him to the bed post as he scoots closer, kneeling on the bed. Leonard can see him but he doesn't move because he's too busy silently screaming. He's almost two decades older than Barry, he was still fantasizing with the idea of having a soul mate when Barry was not even born.

There's a touch in his marked hand and he moves it away so quickly in recoil, he missed the frown in Barry's face, who just dropped his hand and avoided his eyes after that, Leonard cursed under his breath once again and got up.

"I—" he stares at Barry's wide eyes and curses yet again, leaving the room without another word and a loud bang of the door.

He was unable to see Barry shaking as he pulled at the cuff and gave up a second later, lowering himself back on the bed, trying to sleep so he would stop feeling Len's echoing emotions, so he could have a moment without feeling the utter surprise and displeasure Leonard was giving in his general direction, unable to understand why it affected him so much to be a disappointment for a soul mate that knew next to nothing about him, while Barry only knew his police record.

\----------

"He's barely legal!"

Mick was drowning his third bottle of beer when Leonard stormed into the kitchen, his cool completely gone, Mick didn’t look surprised, probably expected this reaction since a few hours ago.

"Hence the reason I called him _kid_ ," Mick pointed out, impassive.

Leonard decided the pace the kitchen as he vented his frustration, "I didn't ask for this, I sure as hell don't need it."

Mick loudly placed the now empty bottle of beer on the table, eyeing Leonard with curiosity, he blinked a couple of times and asked, "You know he can feel you, right?"

"Of course, I know! I've been getting his emotions since the union, it's unpleasant."

Frustrating as well, because Leonard was past the age of caring about being a disappointment to someone else, he moved on when he left his scum of a father behind, yet feeling such thing from Barry left him with a bitter taste on his mouth.

"Is it?"

"Yes!" Leonard hissed, "He's been sad the whole fucking time."

Except when he was scared out of his mind, but Leonard left that detail aside, he was not going to admit that little incident out loud just yet.

"Okay," Mick raised a hand. "You're angry because he's sad?"

"I don't care—" he said, Mick blinked and raised an eyebrow, "Yes."

"Maybe he's sad because you're angry," Mick shrugged, "It must be weird to be kidnapped by your soul mate and then feel he's angry with you, I would be fucking frustrated and angry myself, but that's just me."

"I'm not angry with him," Leonard narrowed his eyes dangerously, Mick rolled his.

"Does he know that?" his partner asked, "Because that union-bond-thing of yours is emotions only, yeah? Or you can read his mind?"

"Of course not," Leonard wished he could, that would make all this mess a bit easier, or perhaps not, his own mind was a clusterfuck, and he didn't want to face whatever low things Barry was thinking about him, even if he didn't care.

(But he _did_ care)

Mick grunted, standing up to get another beer. The silence lingers in the kitchen for the time it took Mick to retrieve the bottle and open it. His partner sat down, shrugging and kept on drinking. Leonard glared and him before leaving, his anger boiling over.

Leonard went back to Barry, opening the door with a bang and finding the kid trying to climb out of the window, because apparently, he managed to get free of the handcuffs but not to open the door.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Barry ducks under the window frame, half his body already on the tiles, Leonard quickly strides and grabs his arm in an iron grip and yanks him back to the bedroom despite Barry's protests. He's scared as much as Leonard is angry and that doesn't do well with either of them. Leonard ends up shoving Barry towards the bed again and Barry lands on his right hand, screaming in pain.

Leonard moves without thinking, turning the struggling younger man on his back and taking his right hand on his own, his thumb looks broken, the skin bruised and swollen. His anger morphs into concern, very quickly, there's irritation simmer in his gut but his priorities have shifted because his soul mate is scared and hurting.

"Let me go," Barry pleads weakly, "I'll not tell anyone where you are, just, _please_ —"

"Shut up!" Leonard snaps and Barry shoves him with his injured hand despite the pain, Leonard doesn't let him go, instead he sizes Barry's wrist, making him chock a sob and immediately regrets the action. "You need to calm down, I'm— I'm not going to hurt you."

Barry's shoulders fall and he closes his eyes, Leonard can still feel the fear and sadness, it makes him angrier.

"I won't hurt you!" he says again, a little firmer, a little louder. Barry stares at him with eyes wide open, like perfectly mimicking a cornered animal. "I won't—"

"My hand," Barry interrupts, Leonard looks at him with a question in his eyes, "Your nails?"

His grip on Barry's injured hand, his own nails digging into the already bruised skin. Leonard curses and let him to, Barry cradles his hand against his chest but doesn’t move away from Leonard, at least.

"I didn't mean for this to happen," he's not sure if he's talking about the kidnapping, the injured hand and the whole soul mate thing.

"Yeah," Barry shrugs, "I know."

Bu how can he possible know? Leonard narrows his eyes, Barry is assuming, but he has no idea what the younger man is thinking, only that whatever it is, is making him sad.

"You know?" Leonard asks and Barry tenses, "You know exactly _what_?"

Barry avoids looking at him, that's never a good sign. The younger man inhales a few times and then stares at the carpet as if was interesting.

"That you didn't want me, it was just convenient for the escape," he said in a small voice, after a few seconds too long, he adds, "And that you don't want to hurt me."

 _But I did it anyways_ , thoughts Leonard, his head hurt.

"Look kid, I didn't ask for this—" he waves his hand around, signaling everything in the room, but Barry is staring at his palm, because he used his marked hand, shit. "I mean, this disaster—"

"I need you to set my thumb back into its socket," Barry interrupts, "It's dislocated."

He bites back a comment about how that was Barry's fault, because he got off the handcuffs by force, which annoys Leonard… but he's also kind of proud about it, for some reason.

Leonard sets the dislocated finger, Barry screams, Leonard holds him.

"I'm sorry," Barry's voice was barely a whisper and Leonard has no idea what he is apologizing for.

After a while, Barry moves to get off Leonard's embrace, he doesn’t push him or glares at him, just gently moves, and Leonard lets him. There have two seconds of awkward silence before the door loudly opens, banging against the wall.

"Dinner's ready!" Mick announces, strides towards the bed, takes bewilder Barry by the elbow and guides him out of the room without any other word.

Leonard closed his eyes and let himself fall backwards on the bed, groaning.

\----------

Mick made pasta with sauce for dinner because that was available in the house, a package of pasta and a bottle of the after mentioned sauce. He doesn't look too happy with this arrangement and food is food, good enough for now. Besides, he has a different problem to asses sitting on a chair by the table looking miserable.

Barry's right hand is bruised and tender, Mick gave him a look, knowing he got of the handcuffs the hard way, "Did'ya train for that?"

"It's seemed like a good idea," was Barry's answer and, well, he's not entirely wrong.

"You could have told Len it was bothering you," Mick fetched a first aid kid from under the bathroom sink and wrapped Barry's hand before serving him dinner, the kid was going to eat with his opposite hand anyway.

Barry pursed his lips, "I don't think so…"

The sound of Mick roughly placing a glass of water before him made him jump and Mick couldn't help but smirk at that, the kid was so tense it was quite funny, for Mick anyway.

"Really, it was easier than getting your hand fucked up, now people are going to think your sol mate beats you," it was meant to be a joke, but Barry's face fell immediately, "Hey, he's not going to hurt ya, you're his."

"He's so angry, that's…" Barry sighed and eat his pasta.

Mick watched him while Leonard passed several times behind them with supplies from the basement, Mick was not entirely sure what kind of modifications was making to the room, Barry didn't turn around but glanced in a few occasions, looking equals part angry and kind of resigned.

One they were done with dinner, Mick managed to get Barry back to the master bedroom without actually touching him, when they found Leonard had hammered the windows shut, he was finishing putting the tools back in the box when they arrived.

"Don't try that again," Leonard told Barry, who stood there and nodded, perplexed.

Leonard walked towards them, making Barry flinch when he took his injured hand. Mick decided that he was not going to stay there and turned around, closing the door with a grunt.

"Are you going to cuff me to the bed?"

"No."

Leonard stood there for a moment, it was late already and he wanted to run from the room but he also wanted to stay. He opened his mouth then shut it with an audible click, clenching his teeth. Barry licked his lips, placing his hand over Leonard's to make him let go of him, but Leonard didn't, because the touch felt so damn good and…

Barry noticed, with a frown he looked at him, questioning what they were feeling.

"I didn't ask for this," Leonard repeated for what felt like the tenth time and felt a hollow in his chest, Barry's reaction, so he quickly continued, "But you're here… and you're supposed to be mine."

Barry finally looked at him, sighing, "We don't really know each other."

 _I want to change that_ , Leonard wanted to say, instead he let go of Barry and left the room, unable to see Barry's disappointment when he did so, but faintly feeling it.


	3. Chapter 3

Barry was a scientist, he had been since young age, when his approach to most things was in a scientific way even before he was consciously aware of what he was doing. In his fascination with the impossible he looked for the real, a way to explain what appears to be inexplicable. For those things label as _mysteries_ his approach was always in the scientific method, which was just his way to be.

Soul Mates were one of the subjects he used in the beginning to defend his hypothesis of the impossible in several stages. Soul Mates were real, a fact, but the circumstances or their "Conception" were surrender in its totality by chance and possibility. There was no way to know if you had a Soul Mate until you actually found them, and the only way was by touch, thus igniting the Union. Soul Marks didn't appear on your skin until your Soul Mate touched you, the marks are a reflection of the other person, and they diverged in shapes and sizes. But the most outstanding event ignited by the union, was that Soul Mates became highly sensate; linked in an empathic and, under some circumstances, physical level.

At the moment, Leonard's anxiety was not letting Barry sleep.

It should be the other way around, really. Barry was the one who got his life turned upside down in the span of a few hours, with a newly found soul mate, a soul mark that spoke volumes about Leonard's literal impression on him, said soul mate also being a criminal and his kidnapper, that was just his luck messing with him, loving a good punch line.

He sighed and rolled to lay on his back, careful to not put pressure in put injured hand. This is not what he imagined his Union would be; he had been in love with his childhood friend turned foster sister since he could remember, but from early age, Barry knew Iris was not his soul mate.

That fact left the possibility that someone out there was meant to be just for Barry and no one else, as he was meant to be for that person. Yes, he had been in love with Iris, date other people, even in a couple relationship, but he still had that hope that, even if things didn't work out, someone out there was waiting for him, at the end of the day.

He was not expecting _Leonard Snart_ , but to be fair, he was not expecting anyone in particular. The only thing he expected was to feel wanted once the Union ignited… and that didn't happen.

Barry closed his eyes and turned to his side to stare at now nailed shut window. He was thinking about his family, he wondered how Joe would take the notice. Not the kidnapped part, mind you, he was pretty sure of how that would go, but his son's soul mate being the criminal who happened to also be his kidnapper. He grunted, rolling on the bed once again to lay face down on the pillow, he couldn't stay here, the CCPD was probably looking for him; he was an official caught in an investigation, a hostage, and a witness at the same time.

"This is not helping."

He got up and wandered to the bathroom, turning the lights on. The mirror caught his attention, a couple of steps and he was before it, after some uncertainty Barry unbuttoned his plaid shirt and turned around to see his back on the mirror.

"Frozen fractals," he murmured, his eyes on his own reflection to see the mark. It was a few shades darker than the rest of his skin, like most of his freckles perhaps. It started at the base of his neck, under his hairline, where Snart – _Len_ – caught him, it went down his neck and extended over his shoulder blades, it had swirls and lines, coming down like frozen water over the roots of a tree, decreasing as it went down and stopping in a half ice crystal like figure above his middle back, at the same point were his heart was.

Barry frowned, he placed his hand on the sink for support and turned as much as he could to look at his reflection with detail, his eyes studying the lines that adorned his back. He found himself staring at then for several minutes, after some time Barry smiled shyly, avoiding to look into his own eyes in the mirror.

It was big, most of it could be concealed by his shirt but the part on the back of his neck was still visible. Normally he wouldn't care to hide it, a soul mark was important and the sense of _belonging_ Barry always imagined it would give him was bubbling in his chest, tame but present… but the circumstances were strange and Barry didn't know what to make of them.

He put his shirt back on and returned to lay on the bed. When he told Leonard he wouldn't said where they were hiding if he let him go, he was being honest. No, he was not fine with being kidnapped, but at the same time the idea of giving Len, his soul mate, to the authorities didn't feel appealing either.

"You're an idiot, Barry," he said in the dark room, giving on the need to wrap his arms around himself.

He closed his eyes, his teeth clenched so hard it hurt, a sob shock his entire form when he allowed himself to stop hiding. This wasn't fair, what was wrong with him?

The light in the hallways outside the room turned on, a shadow stood before the door. Barry imagined it was Leonard, but the minutes passed and he didn't open the door, Barry fell asleep unsure if he wanted Leonard to come or not.

\------

Len sat on the floor, his back against the door where Barry was sleeping.

When Leonard was Barry's age, he had giving up on the idea of having a soul mate, he thought that perhaps that person meant for him was too far away and they were unlikely to ever be reunited, if he even had a soul mate to begging with.

The idea of predestined love became less and less appealing over time, he had seen destined ones in misery, as well as not destined ones in love, in both cases love came to be an advantage and well as an inconvenience.

Still, he wasn't lying when he spoke with Barry, he didn't ask for this mess, and he meant the situation not Barry, because Barry was supposed to be _his_ , and part of him wanted that.

"You're still mopping?"

"Shut up, Mick."

"Make me."

He glared at his partner, who was smiling with such smugness, it made Len chuckle. Mick sat on the floor in front on him, a half-eaten sandwich in one hand, It was well past 3:00 A.M but neither of them could sleep.

"You should talk to him," Mick suggested, it was not the first time he said it, "Because as much as I'm on board with keeping him here until you stop eyeing him in silent panic, I don't think the kid is gonna like it."

Len narrowed his eyes, clenching his teeth, "Silent panic?"

Mick smirked at him, which was never a good sign. "When we were in juvie, you used to draw figures in random papers—"

"I was bored—"

Mick ignored him, "—Like tattoo designs, at least that what everyone thought, but I know you were imagining what that thing would look like," he motioned to Len's hand.

Len pulled at his sleeve, the mark was… strangely beautiful in Len's opinion, he had quickly become found of it , it was _his_ , Barry gave it to him, even if Barry had not even known what was going on at the time. He closed his hand into a fist and touched his forehead with it, softly tapping it a couple of times.

"He's not here because he wants to," Len said, "I kidnapped him while running away from the police."

"Talk to him," Mick repeated and motioned between the two of them with his sandwiching, "You're supposed to be the smart one," Leonard raised an eyebrow, Mick stood up and opened the door, making Len fall backwards to the room.

On the bed, Barry stirred. He blinked several times as Leonard got to his feet, Mick closed the door, waving at him before doing so with the hand holding his sandwich.

"What's wrong?" Barry asked, he sat up and rubbed his eyes to wake up.

"Nothing," Leonard was quick to answer. He walked towards the bed and sat on the edge, keeping his distance without being far away.

Barry yawned, blinked and couple of times and moved to sit against the headboard, "Len…"

"Yes, Barry?"

"I need to go back home," he told him and it was an improvement from him asking what Leonard planned to do because he had no idea, "The police are looking for me."

Leonard closed his eyes, he didn't want Barry to leave, but he also didn't want to force him to stay.

"I know, kid," Len said, "I don't plan on keeping you here forever, that would make me a pretty shitty soul mate, wouldn't it?"

Barry gave him a tiny smile, "Kind of? You just said you won't though, so that's okay."

Leonard smirked, despite his doubts and self-directed annoyance due his recent lack of a plan of action, he moved a bit closer to Barry, and when the kid didn't flinch or gave away any warnings through the bond, Leonard sat at arm's reach from him on the bed.

"I gave up on the idea of having a soul mate when I was your age," Leonard confessed, it wasn't a secret but Barry didn't know anything about him, he might as well be the one to share something, "In my line of work, it's inconvenient, but—" he frowned, his eyes fixed on Barry, "But you're here."

Barry licked his lips, earning a sharp breath from Leonard, "Are you disappointed?"

"No," he was quick to answer, "I don't know what to make out of this, that's all."

"Then why—" Barry pulled at the sleeves of his shirt to cover his hands, "Then why are you so angry with me?"

Leonard was confused, his face didn't give it away but his feeling were something he couldn't hide from Barry, not anymore, "I'm not angry with you."

Barry pulled his knees up to rest his arms over them, "Oh."

"I need—" he huffed, "I need to make a plan, take you back before they find us and everything gets worse, I—" there was another quick way of anger, hiding his fear, "I won't go back to prison."

He could feel Barry's confusion, was he shocked Len was not going to turn himself in? That couldn't be, unless Barry didn't want anything to do with him and, of course, Leonard was criminal, a well-known one atop of that, and Barry was part of the police.

"No, don't get angry," Barry interrupted his train of thought, waving his hands, "Please don't get angry, I don't like how it feels... please."

"You want me to turn myself in," Leonard narrowed his eyes, Barry gaped at him.

"I never said _that_!" Barry moved to his knees, "I was trying to remember when was the last time you were in Iron Heights, I mean, your record, I don't— I don't remember it line by line!"

"What _do_ you care?" he hissed, but the indignant look Barry gave him told him that perhaps that was a stupid question.

"You're my _soul mate_ ," Barry stated, "And if you don't want that, fine, I—I get it, but you can't blame me for wanting to know about you."

And there was the sadness again, creeping like a snake over their bond. Leonard took a deep breath, shaking his head, holding one hand with his index finger pointing up.

"We don't know each other."

Barry looked unimpressed, "That's what I said last time we talked."

"So… let's change that," Leonard proposed and the small smile Barry gave him in return shouldn’t feel this damn good… or perhaps it should, he had no idea what this Union should or shouldn't be.

Barry was about to say something when Mick opened the door, business face on. Leonard stood up, his mind set in the fact that something was wrong and they dah to move quickly.

"Tapped the radios, police are getting closer, we gotta go," He left the room as quickly as he came, probably to get everything ready to leave the safe hose and relocate.

He turned around to look at Barry, who remained there, unmoving. Leonard could almost heard his wild beating heart, he scanned the room to see the handcuffs dangling from the bedpost and the blindfold on the floor, to finally focus on Barry again.

"Len?"

"I have to run," he said, walking backwards while Barry stood up, trying to reach him.

"Wait, Len—"

Leonard could feel a mixture of fear and concern coming from Barry, and it was strange, knowing someone who just meet him was concerned for him.

He couldn't take him with him against his will again, he couldn't drag him into his life, not like _this_.

Leonard shoved his burned phone towards Barry's hands and turned around before the kid could react, properly locking him in the room. Barry kicked at the door a couple of times, screamed for Leonard, but he didn't answer. Instead, he turned around and ran after Mick, leaving Barry behind, choking on the wave of anger and misery that Barry echoed to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story has not been revised by a beta reader, please feel free to correct any glaring mistakes, and I apologize in advance!
> 
> Also, thank you so much for reading :)


	4. Chapter 4

Captain David Singh had a lot of respect for Joe West, he knew how dedicated he was to his work, but mostly to his family. Barry Allen was Joe's son in everything but name, so it was not easy task to inform him that Barry's location was currently unknown, because he had been taken as a hostage by a pair of robbers after the incident in the Graham Jewelry, he was not delivering tragic news – at least not yet, and he hoped he wouldn't have to – but the heaviness around them and the air of despair was alike, Barry was in danger.

"The robbers?" Joe asked, pacing around Captain Singh's office.

"A job by Leonard Snart and Mick Rory."

High profile criminals, they would have gotten away with no issue if not for Barry walking on them at the wrong time. He was called to the crime scene and arrived _early_ , probably wanting to make amends for being constantly late the past week, only to get himself kidnapped.

"I hate this," Joe hissed, "The uncertainty, and those two… if Barry becomes inconvenient to their plans—"

"Don't do this to yourself, Joe," David suggested as friendly as possible, "Don't think about tragedy when it has not happen."

Joe sighed heavily, staring at the window as the second ticked by. David broke the silence by getting up, walking out of the office and signaling Joe to follow, there were a pair of criminals to catch and a young CSI to find.

He had to focus on that and not the rumors going around, Official Ferrera had explained in morbid detail how _'Allen looked in so much pain, like he couldn't breathe'_ or how Official Salt kept on saying how everything as weird and asking why Allen didn't _'fight hard enough to get Snart off'_

Now there were stories about Berry getting stabbed, when that had not happened, rumors going over and over, the kind that will not cease until Barry is back with them, safe and sound.

David intended to see that happen.

\------

"Where's the kid?"

"Drive, Mick."

"Leonard, where's the kid—"

"Just drive!"

Mick turned the ignition on and pulled back on the driveway, turning to the left and driving down the road, he let the silence linger for about five minutes, then promptly punched Leonard in the face without stopping the car or taking his eyes off the road.

Leonard, not expecting the punch, didn’t have time to doge. It was not a full force hit, Mick didn’t have time to actually pull too much force behind it, as he was driving, but enough to make Leonard tumble against the window of the car and hit his head.

Vaguely, he wondered if Barry could feel that.

"What the fuck?"

Mick glared at him, "I'm the one who should be asking that!"

"We are running away _from_ the CCPD, he happens to work _for_ the CCPD, I can't drag him against his will with me," Leonard explained himself and Mick was not impressed.

"I'm pretty sure he was yelling and cursing, so… I take you didn't ask him before running off like that?"

"It's not up to him to decide," Mick punched him again, "Stop that!"

"Leonard, of course is up to him to decide, you don't get to do that for him," Mick rolled his eyes. " _I_ don't like when you decide things for me, what do you think your soul mate would feel?"

"Angry, for what he's echoing me."

"And you're fine with that?"

"At least he's not fucking _sad_ anymore," Leonard was grasping the straws now, just trying to justify himself and it was not working, Mick could tell.

"Oh, give it ten minutes, its coming."

"Leave it, Mick."

They drove for eight and a halve minutes before Leonard growled loudly, Mick stopped the car and watched him fidget in the front seat for a while, staring straight ahead and grinding his teeth so hard it had to hurt his jaw.

"Sadness' back?" Leonard ignored him, "I'm driving back, let's get your soul mate before he gets killed by a tumbleweed or something."

"He's not _that_ fragile."

"And you know that because you two communicate so well already."

Leonard glared at him.

\------

The door was locked and so were the windows, Barry pounded the wood for a few minutes, until he got tired and the house was completely silent. There was uneasiness, a sense of urgency and guilt overwhelming the bond between him and Len. Barry scolded at nothing, biting the inside of his cheek.

 _You shouldn’t have left me here_ , he thought. _You took me and then you left me._  

He shouldn't be this upset about being left behind, he was kidnapped, now he was, well, not exactly free – the whole being locked in a room thing was still and issue – but he technically he was not a hostage anymore, not when his captors were gone.

But it wasn't just about the kidnapping, it was the fact that it had been his soul mate, whom he really didn't know, but they were soul mates for a reason… a reason Barry didn't understand. The burned phone in Barry's pocket sat heavily like a reminder, they were getting somewhere before Leonard ran off, but Barry had not even tried to use the phone yet.

He looked around the room after a while, finding an old video center card that made him wonder how old this house was, and a few other items that very well could be classified as junk. He used them to open the door, it took him far too long and by the time the lock gave in, he was ignoring the bond altogether.

A dark house shadowed him as he walked towards the front door, Barry didn't bother with it anymore, unhappy with how everything was passing by him, as if he wasn't an active participant of his own life but a spectator. Upon reaching the road he noticed there were no other houses around or any signals to let him know directions, not even the distant sounds of sirens he expected to hear were present – Len had left in such a hurry, and in his leave gave Barry the impression the police would be waiting outside.

He felt numb when took the road towards who knows where, hoping just to move around and let the breeze shake away some of his discomfort. The night was not cold, yet Barry felt the air crisp and chill as he walked along the side of the road. He was only wearing his plaid shirt but it was not the weather what made him feel as if ice water had been splashed over him, to be more specific, across his back, where his soul mark had formed.

He closed his eyes, his injured hand at his side, the other one over his neck and shoulder, feeling the mark as if by touching it he could understand his current situation. He had no idea what he was doing, aside from the part about walking on the side of a dark road in the eerie hours of the night, miles from Central City.

 _What where you expecting?_ His own voice asked him, and Barry scolded at the road. _I was expecting… I was expecting… something else._

The guilt was pulsing in their bond now, along a mild headache, Barry tried to ignore it, as much as he tried to not feel anything because he didn’t want to share what was going over him, he didn’t want Len to know he had hurt him, he didn’t want to let anyone know his soul mate hurt him, not even said soul mate.

A car passed by, Barry paid no attention to it, until it stopped a few feet from him. He stopped walking and recognized the vehicle as the getaway car Leonard and Mick used during the robbery, and as if summoned, Leonard descended from the car, walking towards him with urgency.

"Barry, come here—"

"Have you consider asking what I want?" he interrupted, "It doesn't include any of this side road situation."

Leonard's face was unreadable for a moment then he lunged for Barry and the younger man seriously thought he was going to punch him in the face, but no. Instead, Leonard grabbed Barry around the waist and seized him over his shoulder, making Barry squeak and trash because of the student movement.

"Put me down, this looks ridiculous, I'm taller than you!"

"By an inch or so, it doesn't matter," Leonard groaned, almost easily carrying his soul mate to the car, he was better built than Barry, there was no question about that.

Leonard was not terribly rough in his movements and held Barry without hoisting him too much, Len stopped when they reached the car and let Barry get to his feet, opening the door of the back seat for him. Barry looked between Len and the door for a minute, unmoved.

"Please Barry, you can't stay here—"

"You _left_ me here," he countered, Len shut his mouth, grinding his teeth, "Well, at the house, but still, I don't even know where I am."

"That was a mistake," Leonard's voice gave nothing away, but there was a funny feeling over their bond, guilt, perhaps? Yes, that felt like what he had been feeling for a while now.

"What do you need?" he asked him, leaning over the car but not entering, "Bargain chip?"

Leonard said nothing, his eyes on Barry all the time, "Leaving you behind was a mistake, I'm not letting it stick," That was not what Barry expected and it showed in his face, "Come on, get in the car."

Barry lowered his eyes, getting in the back of the car, his form the perfect picture of resignation, "Bargain chip it is."

Mick eyed him over the rear view mirror, "Don't look so sad kid, it's not what you think."

Barry shrugged, considering that at least this time he was not handcuffed and blindfolded, laying against the back seat wondering what would become of him. Now he could stare at the dark road and wonder what would become of him, it was… not an upgrade but still, he disliked the dark and not able to see where he was, he disliked it very much.

Leonard closed the door, standing by the door for a moment. There was anger simmering inside him and he tried, very hard, to calm down, because a few hours ago Barry told him he didn't like how the anger _feel_ , just like Barry's _sadness_ was unpleasant to Leonard, the anger was self-directed and he needed to make sure Barry understood that it was not directed at him.

He climbed inside the car, the front seat and turned to see Barry, who was slumped against the car door, but looking at him.

"You are not a bargain chip," Len carefully explained, his eyes fixed on Barry's, "Leaving you behind was not ideal—"

" _Stupid_ , it was stupid," Mick clarified, nonchalant.

"—and I apologize for that."

Barry looked into Leonard's eyes but he also let himself feel, the bond between them was pulsing, emotions were flowing and Len was being sincere, Barry could tell. The younger man gave him a tiny smile then.

"Okay," he answered, liking his lips.

"Okay," Leonard repeated and turned around, looking straight ahead, Mick gave him a hard look and rolled his eyes, starting the car.

"We're still on the run," Mick reminded them, "So, I hope you're planning something."

Barry took the phone from his pocket, it had battery and he could call Joe to get him, but he didn’t want to give Leonard away like that. He was a criminal, he just robbed a jewelry store and kidnapped him… but he was also Barry's soul mate.

"A gas station?" Barry suggested, "You can drop me off, then lay low, but—" He moved and reached for Len's shoulder, because as confused, frustrated and scared he was, there was one thing Barry was sure he wanted, "Don't… disappear… please."

Leonard turned his head a bit, not quiet looking at him, but he placed his hand over Barry's, he didn’t answer, yet his steady emotions were a wave of calmness over Barry's fears. Barry rested his forehead against the back of the front seat and slowly entwined his finger's with Len's, who didn’t pull away from him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Non-revised version because time hates me, ugh.

Barry fell asleep at some point during their drive on the highway. Len watched him over his shoulder with a neutral expression, lost in his own thoughts over the situation. His mind was used to calculate outcomes for any number of scenarios, after all it was well known that having just one plan it was like having no plan at all, at least in Len's line of business.

"Do you want me to pull over?"

Mick looked calm, his voice held the question but his tone seemed to already have the answer, Leonard should be mildly offended, really, he was not supposed to be this easy to read. Yet is was Mick doing the silent reading on the corner of his eyes as they approached the exit for a gas station.

Leonard kept watching Barry as he answered.

"No."

Mick grunted in acknowledge and changed lanes, they had a plan and it was already being thrown away, they were no strangers to this after all. Even if the situation was unusual, unknown and far too personal for Leonard's liking, the familiarity of a getaway and change of plans was somehow soothing.

Leonard moved to rest his elbow over the window, staring ahead. He could feel Barry sleeping, like the tide against the shore, a pattern that might change in any second, but for now was _safe_.

"He probably ain't gonna be happy," Mick pointed out as a matter of fact, looking bored.

"I'm aware of that," Len didn't have much knowing Barry, it had barely been a day, but there was a reason the kid was bonded with him, he was supposed to be compatible with Len.

Compatible, not _identical_.

Someone compatible with Leonard wouldn't be "happy" as Mick pointed out, of situations where they had no control whatsoever, Leonard for sure hated them to the core, because helplessness was just too bothersome. And reality was, Leonard did have control over the situation and that just wouldn't do.

Barry was his soul mate, Barry was his, but Barry also was a stranger, a badge… someone Leonard couldn't trust.

Just because he as compatible – according to the order of the universe, who loved to screw with Leonard just because – with Barry, it didn't mean he knows him, and he couldn't take the risk… not when he had no certainty Barry was not going to try and turn him in.

Instead, he had to make a calculated risk in keeping Barry with him.

Yes, he could do that.

***

Calculated risks meant calculated results. Possibilities could be laid out, allowing him to be prepare for them. However, Leonard was no stranger to things going off the rails, it's was rule number three of fourth basic ones in his line of business, so he shouldn't have been so surprised when Barry, unpredictably, did none of the things Leonard was calculating for.

Barry wasn't sad or scared when he realized Leonard have basically re-kidnapped him, this time knowing exactly what he was doing. No, Barry was _furious_ , and then he was not… well, yes, but Len couldn't tell anymore. The thing was, Leonard couldn't feel him, Barry did the one thing Leonard was not expecting him to do, he pulled back at his side of the bond and locked himself away with wards firmly in place, and when Leonard tried to nudge in his direction, it was like trying to poke a steel wall, a very unfriendly steel wall.

"Back off," Barry hissed at him from the spot he claimed on the couch in the living room. He was hugging a cushion and not looking in his general direction.

"Barry—"

"I'm not talking to you."

Leonard sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with two fingers and stepping closer. He got hit in the face with the cushion for his trouble and Barry jumped of the couch, keeping the distance he probably thought appropriate in between them.

Leonard wasn't about to admit it, but the lack of feed provided by the bond was making him twitchy. With Barry basically shutting the door in between them, Leonard was just getting a faint buzz, nothing consistent with a feeling, just the awareness that there should be one and the source was still present but disconnected.

In a different situation, this could be interpreted by those bonded as a signal that their significant other was in an unusual situation, unconscious being the most common. Yet, Leonard knew this was not the case because his intended was fully conscious and very much aware of his actions.

He was also making himself sick.

"Barry, you can't do that right now, it's… it's too soon," regardless of Leonard's past non existing expectations of having a soul mate, there was a time he had been waiting for one and did the necessary research in order to know what he might be getting into.

The first stage was the union, when the contact ignited the soul marks, from there it was all about solidifying their connection, learn from one another through the Empathic Bleed, until there was no limitation where one ended and the other began. Witch wasn't possible when there was a metaphorical steel wall in between the channel, of course.

For Leonard, it was absence, a sense of loss and discomfort. For Barry, who was the one keeping the connection shut, it was probably a lot worse, and it showed. He was pale and his skin looked clammy, the hair on the back of his neck was sticking to his skin, and he had already throw up once, after shutting the empathic door in Leonard's face.

"I don't care," Barry leaned on the wall for support, biting down a pant, glaring at Leonard instead, "You can't do _this_."

"It's safer, for both," he tried to reason, but he was not being honest.

"No, not just this," Barry motioned around carelessly, "Making these decisions without consulting me, you don’t get to do _that_."

Leonard pursed his lips, irritated, "You're my soul mate, if anyone gets to do that, it's me."

That, perhaps, was the wrong thing to say, as Barry snarled at him, "No! I'm your soul mate, not your property, the fact that I belong to you and you belong to me doesn't mean you can treat me like property and yes, I do realize that what I just said is contradictory but I don't care!"

Barry hugged himself and panted freely this time, grinding his teeth and stomping his foot against the wooden floor, he looked like a child throwing a tantrum. Leonard didn't find that cute. Not at all.

"If I deconstruct what you just said, it does make sense," Leonard said, he was not that thick, "But this is not a typical situation, do you understand?"

Barry didn't gave him an answered, but locking himself in the bathroom was just as effective.

"Goddam it…"

***

Barry still had the burned phone Leonard gave him, he held it in his hands, and his gaze locked in the front of the cheap display, because his intention was to distract himself from the waves of nausea hitting him one after another. At some point he sat on the cold tiled floor of the shower, one knee against his chest and his other leg stretched out.

His hair was plastered against his forehead, his stomach was in knots and he felt, to put it nicely, like shit.

Union sickness was much like a withdrawal, eventually it would pass and Barry was going to be able to hold his mental wards without wanting to puke this guts out because of how _wrong_ it feels. A shudder makes him keen a pathetic sound, it almost makes him laugh. He wants to feel Leonard so badly…

But not like this, not without being taking into consideration. Barry had been waiting his whole life to find the person who was meant to be for him, the person who was going to make him feel wanted and accepted and…

"Stupid," he mumbled, closing his eyes, "So, so stupid…"

"Well yeah, but what are you gonna do about it?"

Barry jumped at the voice in surprise, the movement made him dizzier, nausea hitting him full force. He barely managed to move by the toilet to dry have a couple of times before puking the tab water he drank some twenty minutes ago.

Mick doesn’t look impressed, the older man kneels by his side and offers him a washcloth once Barry is certain he's not going to throw up his guts. Ignoring Barry's protest, Mick hauls him to his feet and into the shower stall, he opens the water without bothering to give the younger man a heads up, soaking him with clothes and shoes on.

Barry definitely does not yelp when the freezing water washes over him. He does not, thank you very much.

"M-Mick! W-What t-the h-hell?!"

The arsonist managed to retrieve the phone from the floor before the water got to it, leaving it on the counter while Barry trembled under the spray, "You have a fever, a high one, we have to cool you down or our brains are gonna scramble, kid."

There's a pout on his face and Barry hates Mick a little for being right. If the cold water was not making him feel a little more human and less like shit, he would have moved from under the spray already.

"M-My clothes—"

"Got you some more, now shut up," He ignores Barry's squeal after he water is shut and Mick has thrown a towel to his face, "You gonna keept making yourself sick?"

Barry looked away, pulling at his wet shirt to take it off, "It w-will p-pass."

Mick grunted, "You're a stubborn little shit, ain't ya?"

"I don't like people making decisions over my life without even taking my opinion into account, I don't like being lie to, I don't—"

"Kid," Mike interrupts him, "I get it."

His words don't give Barry any comfort, but he's not rambling anymore, although he is making an effort to not shake, Mick noticed. He leaves the bundled of clothes over the counter and gives him some privacy, he already busted the lock so there's no way for Barry to shut himself in again.

Barry doesn't say thank you, and Mick wasn't expecting him to anyway.

***

The nausea and dizzy spells passed, and then Barry just feels tired, very, very tired.

He's huddled on the couch using a blanket to shield himself from the world around him, at some point he just gave up on pretending he was not feeling miserable and wrapped the blanket around himself and over his head like he used to when he was a kid.

He wants to sleep, but the headache turning into a migraine doesn't let him.

"Barry…"

When he opens his eyes, Len is kneeled in front of him, his expression a mixture of annoyance but he can see some concern there. Barry glares at him weakly, he probably looks ridiculous.

"You're hurting yourself over something stupid—"

"You don't get it, you do?" Barry mumbles, closing his eyes, "I just… want things… to be _good_ … for _both_ of us… you're… not the only one… whose life changed."

Unconsciously, he moved his hand to rest over his neck, where the soul mark begins. He should have known from the very moment he saw it that his intended was a possessive bastard, he just didn’t expected for Len to even ignore _him_ when making decisions, that's… not what he wanted.

Len sighed, lowering his head but not saying anything else. He moved to rest his back against the couch, one arm over the edge very close to Barry, but not touching him, no matter how much the itch under his skin was tempting him to.

Barry shifted closer, leaving but an inch between them, but he didn’t lowered his walls and refused to open his eyes.

"My foster father is a cop," he said after some time, "Joe West"

Leonard let his head fall, cursing softly. Barry doesn't smile around the blanket, and if Mick saw him do it, it was just the light tricking him.


End file.
